Happiness
by Paperdoll
Summary: Hermione/Ginny slashfic. Following the girls' relationship from their first kiss, through all their problems. What happens when Harry and Ron find out? How do they tell their parents? And what do they do when someone tries to split them up?
1. Veritaserum

Happiness

A/N: I've finally done it! I've wanted to write a slashfic for ages! This is mild Hermione/Ginny slash and I've tried to make it tasteful. Flame me if you like, but in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with homosexuality.

Disclaimer: All belongeth to J.K. Rowling, nowt belongeth to me!

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I glance at her across the table. Was she looking at me? I imagine tracing the outline of her lips with my finger.

No! I shake my head, as if trying to shake the unwelcome thoughts from my mind. Forget it, she'll never love you back, I tell myself. Forget it Ginny.

There have been times when I thought it was just a phase. A stupid crush, like the one I had on Harry in my first few years at Hogwarts. If I loved Harry, I reasoned, how can this be true?

But this is different, and besides, I'm sixteen now. A little too old for the same-sex crushes that puberty brings, wouldn't you say?

I've always sort of melded into the background. Lost myself behind the exuberant personalities of my many brothers. Boring little Ginny. Never had a boyfriend, never breaks the rules, never does anything worth mentioning. Until now.

What if I'm wrong though? What if this is just because I haven't met the right boy yet? No, I'm not fooling anyone now, least of all myself. I know this runs deeper than that. It is in my very being, pulsing through my bloodstream.

I don't like the word "lesbian". Somehow it sounds wrong. "Gay" is better and "dyke" is just repulsive. The word homophobes use when they tease their friends. You know: "God, you're such a dyke!", like it's something dirty and disgusting.

She keeps giving me little signs that she feels the same way. Just little gestures and glances. Of course, I can't be sure. Maybe I'm just so desperate for her to love me that I'm imagining things. There's only one way to be sure.

She glances up from her Arithmancy homework and I look away quickly. Did she catch me staring at her? A hot blush rises in my cheeks, as always, obscuring my cursed freckles. Nervously I flick my hair behind my ears and lick my lips with a sandpaper tongue.

Suddenly, she stands up and moves to the seat next to mine. I notice that we are the last ones left in the common room. She takes my exercise book and shows me how to translate a tricky sentence from ancient runes. She is so clever. Her wrist brushes my hand and it feels electric. How can she not feel it?

It's now or never. I make the final decision in a flash. I have to know. My palms are sticky and beads of sweat break out across my forehead. She turns away for a moment and before I can stop myself, I pour a few drops of the precious liquid into her glass of pumpkin juice.

Veritaserum. The strongest truth potion there is, stolen from Snape's private stores. All I can do now is wait.

I tremble as I watch her drain her glass and my voice shakes terribly, but I have to ask.

"Her…Hermione?"

"Yes?" she replies calmly. To her, this is just another conversation with a friend. Her voice is soothing; it gives me confidence.

"Are you…are you g-gay?" I stumble over the last word but, thanks to the Veritaserum, the answer pops out automatically.

"Yes," she looks shocked. So far, so good. I hurry on with the next question.

"Do you love me?"

Again the mechanical answer. "Yes."

A warm flood of relief and joy races through me. She tries to say something, but before she can speak, I lean over and capture her mouth with mine. She responds. Her lips are softer than anything I ever imagined. Her hair is a fine silken cascade running through my fingers. Finally we pull apart, each gasping for breath.

"How did you do that?" she asks hesitantly. I hold up the little vial of clear liquid, so that the label is clearly visible. She looks taken aback for a moment, but then a slow smile spreads across her face. That special Hermione smile.

"I'm glad you did," she whispers. "I love you Ginny."

"I love you too Hermione," I reply, snuggling up to her. She lays her head on my shoulder.

For the first time in a long time, I am truly happy.

"Ginny? Ginny," she is calling me but I am too sleepy to answer. "Ginny! Ginny…"

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"Ginny…Ginny!"

Ginny forced her eyes open. It was only Colin, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Ginny! You slept there all night?" he asked incredulously. "What are you Hermione or something?"

She lifted her head, peeling her face away from the page of her Ancient Runes textbook. Had it all been a dream then? She looked around but there was no sign of Hermione. Her heart sank and she could have cried. A terrible weight settled on her shoulders. It hadn't really happened. How could it have?

Ginny stood up and felt something knock against her leg. Reaching into her robe pocket, she pulled out the little vial of Veritaserum. It was half empty. Several long, brown hairs were stuck to the sleeve of her robes. 

Ginny left the common room on winged feet.


	2. Secrets

Happiness

Chapter Two - Secrets

A/N: Part two of my Hermione/Ginny slashfic. Note - that is SLASH! If you don't want to read it, then leave now! You have been warned so flame away - I like flames, they're funny!

Disclaimer: All belongeth to J.K.Rowling, nowt belongeth to me!

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"Hey," Hermione whispered, - placing her hands on Ginny's shoulders. Ginny smiled, enjoying the feeling of her girlfriend's fingertips running across her back. She struggled to resist the urge to turn and take the other girl in her arms, painfully aware of the people surrounding them in the crowded common room. Hermione sat down in the chair beside her.

"Here's the book you wanted to borrow Ginny," she said loudly, passing a battered copy of "Ancient Runes in Plain Language" across the table top. Ginny frowned and turned to ask Hermione what on earth she was talking about, but found she was once again alone at the table. She gave Hermione's retreating back a confused look and flipped open the front cover of the book. A tiny scrap of parchment fell out, bearing a single line of Hermione's unmistakable neat handwriting.

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Charms classroom, 7th floor, 8pm

Ginny looked at watch. Nearly an hour to go - how would she survive to wait? She tried to read a few pages, but found it was impossible. Her mind kept wandering to last night's rendezvous with Hermione, in an alcove behind a tapestry on the 4th floor. She got up and wandered over to Harry and Ron, who were immersed in a game of wizard chess.

"We're going to raid the kitchens tonight with Dean and Seamus. Want to come?" said Ron, not looking up.

"I can't. I've, uh, got too much homework.," Ginny replied, hastily quashing the feeling of guilt that arose whenever she had to lie to them.

"That's what Hermione said too," said Harry, moving his bishop across the board. "You'll turn into her if you're not careful - you've been doing so much work lately."

Ginny hid her blush fairly successfully. If they only knew what she had really been doing all those time she had told them she was "working".

Ron moved his queen six spaces to the left. "Check. I was thinking of asking Hermione out again. I think she might say yes this time," he sent a knight forward a few squares. "Checkmate! Hah! I can still beat you!"

Harry made a face. "Huh. I let you win!" Yeah, do ask her. I think it's a great idea - she's been a lot more friendly to you recently."

"NO!" the word was out of Ginny's mouth before she could think. The two boys stared at her strangely.

"Why?" asked Ron.

"I…uh…well…" but Ginny couldn't bring herself to tell him that the reason Hermione was being so nice was because she felt horribly guilty. "Oh, never mind. Yeah, go ahead Ron," she finished lamely. This time she was unable to conceal the pink colour that was creeping up her neck and cheeks.

She made a hasty retreat to her dormitory and changed into her best jeans and new top under her black robes. She dragged a comb through her tangled red hair and applied a little makeup. This accomplished, she checked her appearance in the mirror and slipped, unnoticed, out through the portrait hole.

She arrived in the deserted 7th floor corridor and checked in all directions before darting into the Charms classroom. Hermione was already there, standing with her back to the door. Ginny tiptoed up behind her and put her hands over her girlfriend's eyes.

"Guess who," she said softly. Hermione giggled and turned around to give Ginny a deep kiss. Ginny reveled in the moment, wrapping her arms around Hermione's slim waist. Finally, Hermione drew back.

"I missed you," she said.

"We saw each other less than an hour ago," Ginny chided, laughing at her.

"You know what I mean," said Hermione, playfully bumping her nose against Ginny's.

Half an hour later, Ginny grudgingly admitted that they should probably get going or people would start to miss them. "I feel so guilty keeping this from Harry and Ron," she sighed, straightening her hair. "Maybe we should tell them."

Hermione gave her a pained look. "You know I hate it too, but have you any idea what would happen if we did? These things have a way of getting around. Before you knew it, there would be rumors all over the school."

"I suppose you're right. Oh - I nearly forgot. Ron said he was going to ask you out again soon. I didn't know what to say."

"Don't worry about it - I'll try to find a way of letting him down gently. I don't know why he even bothers - we haven't dated since fifth year," Hermione took Ginny's arm. "C'mon, lets get going. You've got lipstick on you nose, by the way."

Ginny groaned and tried to scrub it off with her sleeve.

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Most of their time seemed to be taken up with finding new places to meet, Ginny reflected, picking at her cornflakes and half-listening to Ron droning on about some Quidditch match he wanted to see next summer. Was that all boys ever thought about - Quidditch and food? No wonder she didn't like them. She grinned inwardly.

Some one poked her in the back and she gave a start.

"Harry!" she yelped, outraged. "Why can't you ever just say "hello" like a normal person?"

"I'm not a normal person," he laughed. "I'm The Great Harry Potter!"

She slapped him lightly on the wrist. "And you'll never let us forget it!"

He grinned, but then became serious. "Look, Ginny, I was wondering if you might…well…gooutwithmesometime?"

"You what? Speak English!"

"Will you go out with me, on a date."

Ginny's stomach caved in. All those years that she had fancied him, and he had to wait until _now_ to ask her. Typical. But what could she tell him? "Um…I'm really sorry Harry, but…"

He cut in quickly, saving her the explanation. "Don't worry, I didn't think you would. See you then," he said abruptly and walked off. Ginny stared after him for a minute but supposed he couldn't be expected to deal with the rejection that easily. If some one had told her this time last year, that she would reject and offer of a date from Harry Potter, she would have laughed. Somehow she didn't feel like laughing now though. She just wished she could tell him the real reason. Her life seemed to have become a never-ending round of secrets and lies, and she hated every second of it. Except of course when she was with Hermione. That made it all seem worth it.


	3. Family Ties

Happiness

Chapter Three - Family Ties

A/N: Complete fluff alert! The third and final part of the Happiness series. I wasn't sure who's perspective to do this from so I've alternated between Ron and Ginny and separated the sections using wavy lines. I like the Ginny/Hermione pairing but I'm considering trying some m/m slash. I'm a big fan of Sirius/Remus but I'd have to come up with a new perspective on it cause it's been done so many times. I dunno… 

Ok, I'm a little confused - is f/f slash called "yaoi"????????? If so, sorry I called this slash!

If you are offended by homosexuality, don't read this. There - you have been warned. Flame away if you like though - it'll give me a good laugh!

Disclaimer: All belongeth to J.K. Rowling, nowt belongeth to me!

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Ron

"What wouldn't I give for one of those!" Ron marveled for the thousandth time, fingering the gleaming handle of Harry's new LighteningBolt broomstick. "One model up from a Firebolt - you don't know how lucky you are Harry!"

Practice was over for the evening so he and Harry left the deserted Quidditch pitch and wandered down towards the castle, chatting idly about this and that. They were passing the Forbidden Forest when Harry stopped suddenly.

"What?" Ron asked nervously. The Forest looked horribly threatening by night, and he couldn't help remembering Aragog. Harry pointed towards a gap the tall, silent trees.

"Look, Ron. Over there."

Ron strained his eyes against the darkness and there, among the shadows, he made out two indistinct figures. Harry put a finger to his lips and they crept closer.

A shock of red hair stood out in the gloom. Hair so red that it could only be Weasley hair. It was long and straight and obscured the face of the other figure. Ginny. But who was she with? The two figures seemed to be locked in an embrace.

"Looks like your little sister has a boyfriend, Ron!" laughed Harry. "Shall we leave them in peace?" Ron almost agreed, but something made him grab Harry's hand and drag the other boy closer; into the edge of the Forest. From this angle, the head of the person with Ginny was visible. It had long, brown hair…

"Hermione? " gasped Harry incredulously. Ron's mouth fell open and he let out a strangled gasp. Hermione and Ginny broke apart, both breathless and pink in the face, and Ginny spun around, her chestnut eyes wide and scared. For a long minute the four of them stared at each other wordlessly. The seconds dragged for centuries until Hermione broke the silence in her usual, business-like manner.

"Well, I suppose they had to find out sometime. Why not now?"

Ginny nodded her agreement and looked at Ron and Harry, her face registering mute appeal, silently begging for their acceptance.

"How…um…how long has this been going on?" Harry asked finally. Again it was Hermione who replied.

"Only a couple of weeks. We were going to tell you, but…" she tailed off.

Harry took a deep breath. "Well, if you're happy, I'm happy," he stated, managing a watery grin. "It's just come as a bit of a shock."

A sunny smile broke out over Ginny's face and she radiated delight. Hermione threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him chastely on the lips. The three of them turned to Ron, who had gone a rather peculiar shade of gray.

"Ronnie?" asked Ginny in a small voice.

Ron looked down at his little sister's flushed face and tousled hair. He had never been terribly happy with the idea of her dating at all, let alone dating a girl. Ginny…a…a lesbian? No, it was too weird to contemplate, even if it was Hermione she was dating. No…_especially _as it was Hermione.

He gave them a look of disgust, then turned his back on them and sprinted away, up to the castle. The icy night air froze his cheeks and stung his eyes. They could do what they wanted, but they couldn't expect _his_ blessing.

But what about all that time in the fifth year that he and Hermione had been dating? He felt as though she had made a mockery of him. Turned and laughed in his face. He shivered and brushed the thoughts away angrily.

On arriving back at Gryffindor Tower, he headed straight for his dormitory and drew the curtains tightly around his bed. He didn't want to risk seeing any of _them_ again that night.

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Ginny

"Hey Gin, d'you want a hand with your runes homework again?"

Ginny raised her head and looked at Hermione with a forlorn expression, before unceremoniously bursting into tears. _Here we go again_, she thought, mentally kicking herself and trying to stem the flow. She leapt up and raced to her dorm, throwing herself down on her bed and howling her heart out. A few minutes later Hermione came in, sat down, and put her arms around Ginny's shaking body.

"Shhhhh," she crooned soothingly. "It's all right. Calm down."

Ginny gave a convulsive sob. "I c-can't k-keep doing this!" she exclaimed, holding onto the other girl like she was a last lifeline.

Hermione hugged her closer. "Maybe you should just go and talk to him…"

Ginny snorted scornfully. "Yeah and be totally ignored just like all the other times."

"That's no attitude to have…"

"What attitude do you expect me to have? He blanks me every time I go near him! There is NO WAY I'm putting myself through that torture again!"

Twenty minutes later, Ginny knocked hesitantly on the door of the Seventh year boys' dorm.

"Who is it?" Ron's voice yelled through.

"It's me. I need to talk to you." Ginny waited awkwardly in the silence that followed. Then…

"Go away."

She sighed exasperatedly. "Don't be such a baby Ron. I'm coming in…" She shoved the door open. Ron was sitting alone on his bed, pretending to read an upside down copy of the Daily Prophet.

Ginny took a deep, calming breath. "Look, Ron, I don't care whether you're listening or not but I need to say this to you. I know that, for some reason I don't understand, you are against the idea of me dating Hermione. So I'm gay. Is that really such a big deal? I'm still me Ron, still your little sister Ginny. We are family. You can't change that." She stopped and looked hard at him, trying to break his mask of indifference. He sighed and turned the page of his newspaper, but she knew him better than that. She waited in silence, her eyes burning into his face. Finally he looked up.

"If that's all you're going to say then you can leave now," he said.

"You're my brother Ron. I'm not going to just leave things like this. Why can't you just accept this as a part of me?"

"Get out Ginny."

"Trust me, I'm going."

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Ron

Ron tossed and turned in his four-poster, but every time he shut his eyes, Ginny's plaintive face appeared, as though it was imprinted on his eyelids. He wondered what he could think about to get rid of it, but his mind kept slipping back to Ginny and Hermione.

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Quidditch…..him and Harry walking back from the Quidditch pitch and discovering…..No!

Homework…..he was having trouble with his latest potions essay - maybe Hermione could….No!

Girls…..himself kissing a beautiful girl. Two girls kissing each other…..No!

He gave up, climbed silently out of bed and went down to the deserted common room. The last embers of the dying fire were still smouldering gently and he stared into it pensively. Eventually he fell into a restless doze in a cosy armchair.

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Ginny

Draco Malfoy swaggered over to the Gryffindor table and pinched a piece of buttered toast from Ginny's breakfast plate.

"Hey!" she yelped indignantly, swatting his hand away.

"_Malfoy_. What do you want?" Hermione added.

"Actually, I heard a little rumour. Just came over to see if it was true…"

"And what rumour might that be?"

"Well," Malfoy was clearly enjoying himself. "A little bird told me that you two have been," he grimaced, "_dating_!"

A wave of cold ran down Ginny's spine and she felt tears prickle behind her eyes. She blushed a deep crimson and stared hard at her plate. Under the table, Hermione's hand clasped her own supportively. Malfoy looked as though Christmas had come early.

"I can't believe it!" he smirked. "The mudblood and Weasel Jnr - a gay couple!"

"Shut your mouth Malfoy," snapped Hermione. "If you know what's good for you, you'll piss off back to your own table now."

"Are you _threatening_ me, Granger?" he spat. "You're just a couple of pathetic, perverted _lesbians_. It's _sick_!"

"Say that again Malfoy." Ginny looked up in surprise at this, to see Ron striding down from the other end of the table, a look of black thunder on his face. "Are you calling my little sister and my best friend sick, Malfoy?" he asked dangerously.

"What if I am Weasley?" the blonde boy countered smoothly. "Just what do you intend to do about it?" He clicked his fingers and Crabbe and Goyle appeared at his side, glowering menacingly.

"This," said Ron simply and thrust his fist into Malfoy's face with incredible force. Malfoy staggered and cried out, clutching his nose, which was now spurting large quantities of blood.

"No one insults my sister," Ron growled. "Or my friend," he added as an afterthought.

Malfoy shot them a death-glare, his pale face liberally spattered with red, but Ron's gaze was steady, daring him to try anything. Malfoy turned and slunk away, his goons stumping after him.

"_Ron_!" exclaimed Hermione. Ginny jumped up and hugged her brother, feeling decidedly relieved.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Hey," said Ron, embarrassed. "What else could I have done? You are family, after all, even if you can be a bit of a brat." At this, Ginny punched him playfully. He grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry Ginny, I'm sorry Hermione. This is going to take some getting used to, and I know I acted like a complete arsehole before."

"S'OK," Ginny smiled warmly and Hermione nodded. "We might just forgive you!"

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Another A/N: What did you think? Too much fluff? Please review and let me know - I live for your reviews! Big hugs and greatest thanks to all who reviewed my last story - you have helped me to survive and not die from lack of reviews! OK, I suppose you've got the hint by now, so long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye!


	4. Holding On

Happiness

Chapter Four - Holding On

Disclaimer: I'm not stealing them, I'm just borrowing 'em for a bit.

A/N: I wasn't going to write another part to this series, but it just sort of crept up on me. In case you failed to read the summary and the previous three parts, this is f/f slash. PG-13 for language. Flame if you like.

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We are one, We are strong, The more you hold us down the more we press on ~What If, Creed

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Hermione pulled the front door open and slipped silently into the front garden. From the end of the path, she looked back at the house warily, but all was quiet. She heaved a sigh of relief and took a few steps down the road, out of sight of the house, should her parents happen to look out from behind the closed curtains. She waved her wand hand in the direction of the road…

BAM!

And boarded the Knight Bus, heading for London.

Diagon Alley had seemed the only logical place to meet. A little unimaginative, perhaps, but safer than anywhere in muggle London.

She couldn't believe she was doing this. Goody-two-shoes Hermione Granger, sneaking out of her house in the middle of the night. She would never have wanted it to be this way, but it had to be. She would be back by the morning. Back before they even realised she was gone.

As she sat on one of the bus beds, she shook away encroaching feelings of guilt. It wasn't as though it was her first choice to do things like this. It was their fault entirely.

At seventeen, she felt old enough to make her own decisions about her life. She and Ginny had been dating for several months now and most of the school knew about it, so Hermione had decided to tell her parents. It wasn't as though she had told them anything terrible. From the way they had reacted, you would have thought she had killed someone, or got pregnant or something.

They had always told her she could tell them anything and they would stand by her. She felt so stupid for believing them. It wasn't that they had disowned her or anything. In fact, they had pretended to be very understanding. Hermione had been so relieved that they were taking it so well. That is, until they dropped the bombshell.

She wasn't allowed to see Ginny any more, because the girl was obviously "a bad influence". Hogwarts had been informed that, during term time, they were to be kept apart because of "personal reasons". Hermione was grounded for the rest of the holidays to prevent her seeing "that girl".

Of course she had protested. She had reasoned and cried and shouted, but to no avail. It was "for your own good", they told her. After all, "this whole gay-thing is just a silly faze".

Hermione felt like screaming. What the hell did they know?

Well they weren't going to stop her. Her relationship with Ginny was the best thing that had happened to her for a long time, and she wasn't going to lose it. Having seen what had happened with the Grangers, Ginny had decided against telling her own parents just yet.

So now they were reduced to this. Secret meetings in the dead of night. They lived so far apart that it wasn't like they could just pop round to each other's houses anyway, but at least they wouldn't have to sneak around like this.

The Knight bus screeched to a halt and Hermione made her way through the Leaky Cauldron, tapped the wall with her wand and walked into Diagon Alley. It was beautiful by night, with twinkling, multicoloured fairies artfully arranged to cast a glow over everything.

On the bench outside Florean Fortesques sat Ginny, shivering in a moth-eaten cloak and looking worriedly from side to side. She jumped to her feet when she saw Hermione and the two girls embraced.

"Missed you," Ginny whispered. Hermione held her close and fought back hot tears. It just wasn't fair. If she had had a _boy_friend, her parents would have only been too pleased for them to meet up.

"Let's go somewhere warmer," she suggested, noting Ginny's icy hands. "You look like you could do with a Butterbeer."

They were heading back to the Leaky Cauldron, when Ginny gasped and dived into the nearest shop, the apothecary, pulling Hermione with her. They stood among the vats of potent herbs and bottles of gooey potions breathing hard.

"What was that all about?" Hermione hissed.

Ginny was peering cautiously out of the window. "Susan Fletcher, friend of my mums. If she caught me here at this time of night…" she made a throat-slitting motion with her hand. "I'd have been grounded 'till I'm thirty!"

"Kind of like I am, you mean?" Hermione asked wryly. "So maybe the Leaky Cauldron isn't such a great idea. Is there anywhere around here that's a little less public?"

Ginny though for a minute. "There's a bar and some clubs further down," she said doubtfully. "But they're all over-17's only. We'll never get in."

"You forget that I am seventeen," said Hermione. "And you will be in a few months. They'll never know."

Ginny grinned weakly. "I never knew you had such a rebellious side, Hermione," she said, smirking.

Ten minutes later, they were outside again. "You're not coming in here if you can't cross the age line," the wizard at the door told Ginny sternly.

"Aww, please?" Hermione fluttered her eyelashes at him and pouted. "For me?"

"More than my job's worth sweetheart," he told her, firmly shaking his head.

"Your loss. All the other places let us in!" Hermione knew she was beginning to sound childish, but it was a very cold night and they hadn't long before they would have to set off home.

"Go find one of them then."

"Fine!" she grabbed Ginny's arm and stomped away. She turned to Ginny. "Now what?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Ginny snapped peevishly, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders.

"What's with you?" Hermione asked.

"What do you bloody well think is wrong with me?"

Hermione sighed. "Well, I'm suffering too here, probably more than you are because it's _my_ parents who've turned against me, and I'm not complaining!"

"No, because you're just little-miss-perfect, aren't you?"

"Fuck off."

"Ok, I will!" Ginny wrenched her arm away from Hermione and marched up the road. Hermione watched her for a moment, feeling defiant, but then remorse washed over her. She raced after Ginny's retreating figure.

"Ginny, wait!" The other girl stopped in her tracks and whipped around.

"What?"

Hermione faltered. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Ginny stared at her stonily and Hermione's heart lurched painfully. Then the other girl's expression crumbled like a mask. "I'm sorry too. It's just so hard…"

"I know." Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny and they held each other tightly. When they pulled apart, Ginny giggled nervously.

"I've left tear-marks on your robe."

"Hermione smiled and they began to walk together. "We mustn't argue. We have so little time together as it is."

"You're right, as always." Ginny sighed. "Now where are we going?"

"Here," Hermione said suddenly, stopping abruptly. They had arrived outside a small, cosy looking place with a menu in French pinned to the window.

"I bet it costs a bomb," said Ginny doubtfully.

"I could lend you…" she broke off at Ginny's pained expression. "Where else is there then?" They stood in silence for a moment, then it dawned on her. Hermione broke into a grin, grabbed Ginny's arm and dragged her down a nearby alley.

"Hermione…? What the fuck…?" Ginny's voice petered out as they emerged at the other end of the alley and found themselves surrounded by greenery. They appeared to have arrived in a small park, with trees and grass and a duck pond. More fairies rested in the bushes, casting a glittering light and a few couples were wandering around or sitting on the benches.

"How did you know about this?" Ginny gasped and promptly tripped over her own feet.

"Found it last summer." Hermione giggled. "Now shhh…" She leaned in and the two girls' mouths met. Hermione was in heaven. She seemed to have been waiting forever to do this again…

"Hermione Ann Granger! What in God's name do you think you're doing?!" An angry voice pierced their bubble of happiness. Hermione broke away and felt her stomach flood with ice. She looked up fearfully and uttered one word.

"Mum."

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To be continued…

What did you think? Good, bad or ugly? I have some great ideas for the next part, but do you think I should continue? Please review, it only takes a second!


	5. Breaking Away

Happiness

Happiness

Chapter Five - Breaking Away

Disclaimer: I'm not stealing them, I'm just borrowing 'em for a bit.

A/N: If you haven't read the summary, or any of the rest of the series, this is f/f slash, so don't read it if you don't like it, blah blah blah. Ahem. Also, it won't make much sense if you haven't read the other parts, so it's probably best if you read them first. More angst and fluff, as standard ;-). Actually, a lot more angst than action, but I promise there'll be more action next time! Huge long thanks section at the end, to make up for not having one at all on the previous parts. Can anyone spot the teeny bit I stole from Bridget Jones?

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The 24th April dawned bright and sunny. Most people spent the day going for walks or cycle rides or shopping, basically doing normal sunny-day activities. It was the last day of the Hogwarts Easter holiday, so most pupils were celebrating their last few hours of freedom, or buying supplies in Diagon Alley.

Hermione Granger spent the day shut in her room. She was about to begin her last term at Hogwarts, and she had homework to finish. That homework, and the knowledge of the impending new term, was all that had kept her going over these last days, since her mother had caught her in Diagon Alley, late at night, kissing Ginny Weasley.

There had been a lot of screaming, a lot of yelling, and she was grounded for the next ten years. She didn't quite like to remind her parents that she would be eighteen in a few months, and then she would be free anyway. And she was never to see or speak to Ginny again. The school had been informed, so they would even be kept apart there.

Yeah, right. As if they could really keep her away from Ginny. It was a school; there were hundreds of pupils to watch over. They couldn't keep her under surveillance every second of the day.

Tomorrow she could go back. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

"Hermione!"

She snapped out of her thoughts. "What Mum?"

"Your father and I need a word with you."

"Coming." She sighed and began to make her way downstairs as slowly as possible. Whenever her mother used that tone, it meant she was in trouble. Although, considering how much trouble she was in already, she wasn't sure she cared anymore. She walked into the kitchen and found her mother and father sitting at the table, looking grave. ~_Oh God. Now what?_~

"Ah, Hermione," her mother began smoothly. "Sit down."

Hermione sat gingerly on the edge of the nearest chair and set her face in a sulky expression..

"We, your father and I, feel that, well, how can I put this…" she trailed off.

Hermione's father took over. "To put it bluntly, we don't want you to go back to Hogwarts tomorrow."

Hermione frowned. "Well, when can I go back then?"

Both her parents looked uncomfortable. "We…we don't want you to go back at all," her mother said quietly.

"But what about my NEWTs?" Hermione couldn't take it in. They weren't really suggesting…

"You can go to a sixth form and take A-levels instead. You have enough magical education with your OWLs, and really not much grounding in basic subjects. But, you're a bright girl, and with some extra coaching, I sure you'll catch up…"

Hermione leapt to her feet, her mouth hanging open. For a moment she simply gaped and blinked, unable to speak. Finally she pulled herself together enough to form a coherent sentence. "You…you've got to be kidding me," she sputtered. "And this is just because of me and Ginny? I don't believe it! How can you be so bigoted?"

"Now Hermione," her father admonished. "Don't throw random accusations at us. We have nothing against homosexuality…"

"Just as long as it's not your own daughter, right? Homosexuals are all right, as long as you don't have to have anything to do with them," Hermione was spitting with rage. "I simply can't believe you two! You can do what you bloody well like. I'm going back to Hogwarts tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

She ran to her room, dragged her trunk out of the corner and began frantically to stuff her school clothes into it. In her anger, she didn't hear the key turn in the lock on her bedroom door, or her mother's footsteps fading into the distance. In fact, she had no inkling that anything was amiss until she dragged her full trunk across the floor and attempted to open the door. 

For ages, she rattled the handle in vain, and hammered on the unyielding wood, but to no avail. Eventually, sobbing with frustration, she sank to the floor and put her head on her knees. After much deliberation, she decided that this was enough of an emergency to warrant the use of magic, despite the risk of expulsion. She rummaged in her trunk until her hand touched the smooth wood. Pulling it out, she held it aloft and opened her mouth to perform a spell, then reeled in shock.

The wand was broken; snapped exactly in two, with one half dangling useless.

Hermione burst into fresh tears and flung the unfortunate wand at the opposite wall, knowing the futility of her gesture, but unable to stop herself. She didn't know how long she sat there crying, but, after a time, she came to her senses. This wasn't like her - Hermione Granger didn't sit around, defeated and sobbing. She dried her eyes, put her wand away, locked her trunk, and made her way to the window. Of course, that was locked too, except for the tiny top window, much too small for her to think out climbing out of.

She stared out at the gathering dusk, gloomily contemplating her fate. She had a lovely view of the park, and she watched the last few children leave the playground, until it was empty and lonely looking, a swing still gently shifting in the evening breeze.

Suddenly, she noticed something flying towards her window, something like a large butterfly, or a tennis ball. It was making straight for her little top window…

"Pig!" she cried out happily, snatching the tiny owl out of the air and holding it close to her heart, breathing quickly. More tears, though this time of joy, poured down her pale cheeks. Gently she took the parchment from the excited owl's leg and read it.

_Dear Hermione,_

_How's life? Everything's totally hectic here since we had the news of Percy's promotion, but I'll tell you all about that tomorrow. I just wanted to check everything's Ok, really. I was messing about with our crystal ball today, and it showed something about you. That you might be upset, or in pain or something. It's probably nothing - I'm terrible at Divination and the ball's really old. Just send Pigwidgeon back with a note to let me know you're all right, Ok?_

_Love Ginny xoxoxo_

Hermione scrabbled for a fresh piece of parchment and a quill, then hastily wrote out a reply.

_Ginny - I need you help. My parents won't let me go back tomorrow. I'm locked in my room. I'll explain when I see you. You have to get me out of here tonight! Hermione._

She attached the parchment to the Pigwidgeon's leg, kissed it gently on the head and sent it soaring gleefully from her window. Having watched until the little owl was out of sight, she flopped onto her bed, knowing that all she could do now was pray.

***

"Hermione…Wake up…_Hermione_!"

"Go 'way Ron. 'S too early…" Hermione murmured, rolling over on her bed.

"Oh, for God's sake Hermione! It's not Ron, it's Fred…"

"…And George."

Hermione sat bolt upright, her eyes flying open. "Fred and George?! It's the middle of the bloody night! What the fuck…?"

"Ginny sent us…"

"…We apparated…"

"…Now shut up before you wake the whole country…"

"…And get your things ready to leave!"

Hermione stared at them frostily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Don't you two ever talk like normal people? And just how do you expect to get me back with you? I can't apparate yet!"

"We did think of that - you have to hold onto both our hands and we can take you with us when we disapparate," said Fred.

"You could sound a little more grateful, you know," added George. "We came all this way to get you."

Hermione frowned slightly. "I suppose so. I'm sorry guys - but you did wake me at some unearthly hour," she slid off the bed and pulled her coat on over her nightdress.

George looked puzzled. "Aren't you going to get dressed?" he asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

"What, with you two voyeurs in here?" Hermione laughed. "Give me a break. You'll have to try harder than that!"

Fred put on his best innocent face. "We wouldn't look, honest!" 

"Unless you want us to," George added and they both sniggered childishly. Hermione sighed.

"What about my trunk? I can't hold that if I have to hold both your hands."

"Sit on it or something," suggested Fred, so Hermione did. The twins glanced at each other, and all three of them disapparated.

***

Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table, listlessly sipping a glass of milk, when Hermione and the twins apparated into the room. She jumped to her feet, spilled the milk all over the floor, stepped in it, slipped, and ended up on her arse in the milky puddle. The twins fell about laughing, while Hermione hurried over to help her up. 

Ginny glared at Fred and George as Hermione brushed the milk of her girlfriend's backside. Surely it didn't require _quite_ that much brushing…Not that Ginny was complaining of course.

Ginny glanced at the twins, then grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her out of the room and up the stairs. Only when they had reached the sanctuary of Ginny's room, with the door shut tightly behind them, did they dare embrace.

Hermione held Ginny tightly in her arms and kissed her deeply, breathing the other girl's familiar scent with a sense of the deepest relief. She suddenly realised that she was crying. Ginny pulled away and stoked her hair, kissing the warm, salty tears from Hermione's cheeks.

"It'll be alright," she whispered, feeling a few teardrops slide slowly down her own face, but smiling at the same time.

All she knew was that, somehow, it just had to turn out all right.

_To be continued…_

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Huge hugs and e-cookies to the following people:

BoyFlea, Kacella, Tessie, shell, Happiness, Sabrina Myst, CatFish, Keith Fraser, Adelina, Asuka-san, parvati, aubrey, MoonDancer, Candace, Mladybug3, ~~R~~, helena (actually, JK Rowling came up with that one), arcenciel, Adrienne, Glimmer Girl, Crymson Tyrdrop, lupinlover, Otaku_Neev, Talia, RatheraMutemwiya, Megan, Allaya, Ides of Diamonds, Object Of The Twin's Affection, Hermione Granger Weasley, Portia, Sabrina Myst, Dru, Haruka Tenou, cloud_strife_73 (I'm writing, I promise!), Beth825, minx (*is starstruck*), water_nymph, Taitofan, and Colin (Long live fluff!)

Sorry if I missed anyone out ;-)


	6. Catch the Sun

Happiness

Happiness

Chapter Six - Catch the Sun

Disclaimer: All J.K.s. Draco's mine, but I'm keeping him at home and I haven't let him out to play in this chapter. Maybe in the next one though…

A/N: This will probably be the last part I post for a little while because, as any English readers will realise, my GCSE exams start in under a week. These are the most important exams I have taken in my life so far, so I'll be completely occupied with them for a few weeks. However, rest assures that this is NOT the last part of the series. I will be continuing it as soon as I have time. Still not much big Hermione/Ginny action, but I promise there'll be loads more in the next part!.

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Catch the sun, before it's gone / Here it comes, up in smoke and gone / Catch the sun, it never comes / Cry in the sand, lost in the fire ~ Catch the Sun, Doves

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Hermione sat on Ginny's bed, her knees tucked into her chest, chewing the end of a rather scruffy looking quill thoughtfully. She dipped the quill into a pot of ink and began to write. After a few lines, she stopped, re-read what she had written, and proceeded to crumple up the parchment and toss it in the general direction of the bin. She pulled another piece of parchment towards her and looked up as Ginny entered the room, wrapped in a bathrobe and toweling her hair dry.

"Still can't think what to say to them?" the redheaded girl asked with a sympathetic frown. "I wouldn't if it was my parents. Speaking of whom, we need to decide what we're going to tell them about you being here. They'll be home in a few minutes."

"How about the truth?" Hermione replied, beginning to write again. There was a long silence from Ginny. Hermione looked up and saw the fear in her girlfriend's eyes. She sighed. "You're going to have to tell them sometime, you know. Why not now? There's no time like the present."

"I'm just not ready yet. I mean, what if they react like your parents?" Ginny's lower lip trembled endearingly. "I just couldn't bear it if…Well, you know."

"They won't," said Hermione firmly. "I've known your parents since I was eleven, and I know they won't."

"I don't know…"

"Look, Ginny, it's up to you, but I think this is the best possible time to tell them. I mean, you're going back to Hogwarts tomorrow, that'll give them time to get over the initial shock. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Well…I do hate lying to them. And maybe my brothers'd stop teasing me about not having a boyfriend yet…" Ginny's face took on a determined expression. "Yes! I'm going to tell them tonight!"

"Good for you!" Hermione hugged Ginny exuberantly. From downstairs came the sound of a key turning in the front door.

Ginny got to her feet. "Now or never, I suppose," she said nervously.

"You'll be fine, and I'll be with you the whole time." There was just time for a hurried kiss before they ran downstairs.

"Mum, Dad, I need to talk to you, it's important," Ginny said in a rush as they entered the kitchen.

"Hold your horses, I'm sure it can wait until we've unpacked the shopping," Arthur laughed.

"You can give me a hand Gin," said Molly, who then did a double take as she turned and saw Hermione standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Hello Hermione, dear! What a surprise! What are you doing here?"

"We'll explain after we've unpacked the shopping," Ginny cut in smoothly. "It's kind of connected to what I want to tell you."

Molly gave her a puzzled look, but went on with unpacking without another query. _If only my parents were like that_, Hermione thought, stacking cans of baked beans in a cupboard. She smiled at Ginny, but the other girl looked away, tapping her foot nervously. Hermione felt a flutter in her own stomach, as though it was her own parents she was going to tell, not Ginny's. When they had finished, Ginny led her parents in to the living room, called Fred and George down from their room and Percy from his.

"Shouldn't Ron be here too?" asked Fred.

"He kind of already knows," Ginny said. Hermione gripped her hand protectively. Ginny took a deep, shaky breath and continued. "I suppose I'd better start with why Hermione's turned up in the middle of the night. Fred and George know part of this, but not the whole story. You see, her parents were going to stop her going to Hogwarts next term…" she tailed off at Molly and Arthur's simultaneous shocked gasps.

"Why on earth not?"

"I'm getting to that," Ginny said irritatedly. "Can you just let me get this out?"

"Sorry dear. Of course."

"Well, they were going to stop her because of…because of something she was doing that they didn't approve of. Something that they thought they could stop her doing if she didn't go back. Something that involves me." Ginny paused expectantly.

"I-I'm afraid I don't quite understand," said Molly worriedly. "Are you two in some sort of trouble?"

Ginny gulped. "Not really, no. Um… you know that Hermione and I have been very good friends for a while now? Well we're not any more," the Weasleys exchanged puzzled looks as Ginny paused again to breathe. "You see, we're more…more than that now. We're, well, I…I'm gay."

There was a collective intake of breath and an awkward silence fell over the room. Hermione looked at Ginny, who was staring at her feet. No one spoke for many long dragging minutes. Hermione could hear her own breathing, unnaturally loud in her ears as she stared round at the shocked faces of Ginny's family. Ginny herself seemed turned to stone. A statue of a girl, alone despite Hermione's supportive hand.

Suddenly, Percy got to his feet, walked across the room and wrapped his arms around Ginny. "It's OK," Hermione heard him say softly before she stepped away. He held Ginny tightly in his arms as her shoulders began to shake, tears streaming down her face and onto his shoulder.

He stood like that for a moment, before turning angrily to the rest of the family. "Well?" he said, a challenge in his voice, "Don't just sit there!"

Molly's face broke into a watery smile. "Did you think we would mind?" she asked gently. "We're your family Ginny. We love you no matter what, as long as you're happy."

At that, Ginny rushed over to her mother and flung herself into her arms. Arthur, Percy, Fred and George crowded around, comforting and supportive. Hermione stood in the corner of the room, quiet and unobtrusive, watching them through a haze of emotion. She didn't realise she was crying until her tear began to soak through her T-shirt. She _was_ happy for Ginny, she was. It was just that…Why couldn't her own parents have reacted this way? As much as she hated herself for thinking so selfishly, it just didn't seem fair.

It took a good ten minutes before Molly came to her senses and saw Hermione standing there, tears flooding down her crumpled face. Immediately her mothering instincts kicked in, she went over to the crying girl and gave her a hug. "And that's why your parents aren't letting you go back to Hogwarts, isn't it dear? Because of you and Ginny?" she said.

Hermione nodded mutely.

"You do realise we're going to have to tell them you're here, don't you?"

Hermione nodded again. "Please don't let them take me back there," she whispered hoarsely. "Please. I _have_ to take my exams!"

"Don't worry 'Mione!" piped in Fred.

"We worked bloody hard to get you here, and we're not going to let you go now!" George added.

"Of course you'll be able to take your exams," Molly said, all bustling efficiency once more. "Now lets get you a nice hot drink and we'll have a good old girlie chat in the kitchen, hmmm? Arthur, dear, could you get hold of Mr. and Mrs. Granger for me?"

Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other, stifling giggles, then followed her out of the room.

***

"Hermione," Arthur Weasley's voice floated through from the living room. "Your parents are here."

Hermione looked up from her second mug of coffee and met Ginny's eyes across the table. "They're here," she whispered. "They're here. What do I do?"

"Stay calm," Ginny advised. "Don't panic and don't fly off the handle. I'll be with you the whole time."

"We all will," Molly added.

Hermione got heavily to her feet and walked out of the room. Just outside the living room, she stopped and gave Ginny a quick kiss. "Just in case they stop me seeing you again," she murmured, staring at the door as though the guillotine awaited her on the other side of it. She glanced at Molly and Ginny with a kind of desperate prayer, then walked into the room.

As soon as Hermione entered the room, Dr Anna Granger felt her heart jump up from her shoes. The woman leapt to her feet and threw her arms around her daughter. "We were so worried!" she cried. "You just disappeared, no note, no nothing. How could you do that to us Hermione?"

Hermione stood stiffly, feeling her mothers arms around her, but not able to respond. She stepped back. "Hello Mother. Father."

"Look, Hermione," her father said hurriedly. "We know we may have over reacted a little, but it was just a bit of a shock. Why don't you come home with us now and we can talk things out over the next few days?"

Hermione steeled herself. "I'm not coming home, father. The new term at Hogwarts begins tomorrow. I have my NEWTs to think about."

Her mother breathed in sharply. "I see," she said, "that we're not going to change your mind on this one. Very well, you may go back to _that_ school, seeing as it is only for one more term. But do come home with us for tonight."

"I'd rather not," Hermione said coolly. "I'll come home in the summer holidays mother, but not before."

Anna Granger faltered. "But…but…"

Hermione's father stepped in. "If that's how you feel Hermione, then so be it. But don't expect us to be forgive you yet for what you did to us by running away like that."

"Don't expect you to _forgive _me for it?" Hermione laughed incredulously. "That's what you want isn't it? You want me to come running back to you, begging your forgiveness? Forget it! You deserved all you got." She could not bring herself to look either of her parents in the eyes, so she fixed her gaze on the floor. "Goodbye," she said. "I'll see you in the summer."

"Hermione!" her mother sounded shocked. "How dare you speak to us like that! We're your parents!"

"Yes," Hermione agreed, an edge of sadness in her voice. "You're my parents. You're supposed to accept me for who I am, not try to stamp it out of me."

"Look, Hermione, we do love you, you know…"

Hermione sighed. "Are you sure? Do you love the real me, or the one in your heads? The brainy little girl who'll one day grow up and get married and have children of her own, or the one who's standing here now, the one who wants you to accept her for who she is? Being gay is a part of who I am, and unless you accept that, then you don't really love me at all." She looked up, and suddenly found that she could look at them after all. Her mother began to cry quietly.

"It's just so hard," she said. "We had such hopes for your future…"

"Why does that have to change?" Hermione demanded. "Why is anything any different, just because I have a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend? I'm still me."

"You don't understand," her mother sounded desperate. "You were going to do everything that I never did. I wanted you to have the perfect white wedding, to the perfect husband, then a perfect honeymoon…I was going to help you choose your wedding dress…"

Hermione felt tears start in her own eyes. "That can still happen," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Lots of people have gay weddings these days and I promise to include you both in everything. I need you both you support me. There'll be so many people who think that what I'm doing is sick and wrong, and I need you to help me through that."

Mr. And Mrs Granger looked at each other, then at their daughter. "You'll just have to give us some time, Hermione," her father told her. "Its hard to come to terms with. We can't give our full approval now, because it's such a shock. But yes, we will let you see Ginny." Mrs. Granger nodded her consent.

"Thank you. I hope you'll eventually realise that I'm still me, no matter what," Hermione said, giving each of them a brief hug and following them to the door. "I'll see you in the summer then."

They left.

Hermione sank down onto her knees in the dark hallway and was tactfully left alone to cry.


	7. Never Be Alone Again

Happiness

Chapter Seven – Never Be Alone Again

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Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, as I'm sure you had all guessed by now.

A/N: The final part! Lots more girl/girl action in this one, but not enough to put the rating up to an R. I'm not that sort of writer. I'm sorry to see the end of this series, but trust me, this is in no way the last you'll be hearing from Paperdoll. I'm already working on the next one…

Hang on a minute…Why am I writing??? I have an exam first thing tomorrow morning! Nooooooo! Help me!

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Hermione woke early the next morning, and it took some thought for her to remember where she was. She sat up gingerly, easing the cricks out of her back and neck and gazed about the Weasley's small sitting room, disorientated. Eventually her sleep-addled mind registered that she had been sleeping on the sofa. Ginny's parents may have been tolerant enough about her and Ginny's relationship, however, they were not about to let their teenage daughter sleep in the same bedroom as the person she was dating, whether that person happened to be male or female.

Within seconds, the peace of the morning was broken by the thundering of many pairs of slippered feet overhead. A few minutes more and Ginny herself stuck a tousled head around the door.

"Morning sunshine!" she chirped, in a voice much too perky for such an early hour. "Breakfast in half an hour!"

Hermione yawned and nodded sleepily, beginning to disentangle herself from the duvet and struggle into a dressing gown. She made her way upstairs, narrowly avoided a head on collision with a stressed-looking Percy, and rattled the handle on the bathroom door. It was locked. George's head poked out of a nearby bedroom.

"Oy! There is a queue, you know! You'll have to be after me. I'm after Fred, who's after Ron, who's after Ginny, who's after Mum…"

Hermione instantly abandoned the idea of a long, hot shower, deciding it would have to wait till she got to school that evening. She hurried along the landing to Ginny's room, where all her clothes were. She met Ginny in the doorway, and gave her girlfriend a good morning kiss, but broke away quickly as Ron hurried past.

"Get a room, you two!" he muttered.

Ginny blushed. "I think we'll even have more privacy at school than in this place!" she complained, dashing away down the hall. She screeched to an abrupt halt outside the bathroom and hammered on the door. "RON!" she shrieked. "It was _my _turn!"

Hermione laughed, picked her perfectly folded outfit off the top of her trunk, and began to get ready.

***

The girls spent most of the train journey reading and chatting. Although the Hogwarts Express seemed almost empty compared with the ride in September, it was still impossible to find a carriage alone. As soon as they thought they had, a gaggle of high-spirited first-year girls had come barging in, so they resigned themselves to putting up with the giggling and ongoing games of exploding snap.

Hermione did spy Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil in a carriage a little way down the corridor, but she felt no inclination to go and talk to them. No doubt they would be full of questions, having heard the full story about her and Ginny from Draco Malfoy at the end of last term. She wondered briefly if they had believed the spiteful Slytherin, but decided that, even if they hadn't, she herself wasn't a good enough liar to gloss it all over, and neither was Ginny. Neither of them had discussed the fact that, by the time they returned to school, their relationship would be a secret no longer, but now it was a cold, hard fact that would have to be faced up to in a few short hours.

They arrived at school in the pouring rain, and rushed inside to the beginning of term feast, and to greet friends who had remained at school for the holidays. Hermione deliberately did not look anywhere except at her feet, until she sat down at the Gryffindor table, which seemed an inordinately long distance away from the door. She was sure everyone was staring at her and Ginny surreptitiously, which of course they weren't.

As the meal progressed, and no one said anything, she began to relax. She relaxed so much, in fact, that she found herself absent-mindedly staring at Ginny and picturing just what she would do with her girlfriend as soon as they had more than five seconds alone together…

A burst of giggling soon ended that particular fantasy. She dragged her mind back into the present and her eyes away from Ginny, and looked for the source of the laughter. Parvati and Lavender. Who else.

"So it is true," Parvati said slyly.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I take it Malfoy told you."

"Well actually it was Seamus, but I think Malfoy told him," Lavender supplied.

"So…you're not disgusted?" Hermione asked nervously.

"God no," Parvati said, looking horrified at the very idea. "What do you think this is, the fifties? Considering how many people go to this school, at least two had to be gay, and it just happened to be you and Ginny. We're happy for you."

"The boys may feel slightly differently though," Lavender added. "Idiotic, immature homophobes that they are. I don't think they're actually disgusted as such, but you might get some major teasing."

Hermione sighed. "That I can deal with."

"So," Parvati, ever the gossip seeker, asked. "Have you told your parents yet?"

"Unfortunately yes," Hermione shuddered. "But I'd rather not talk about it. Ginny's parents were fine about it though."

Lavender caught Parvati's eye and tactfully changed the subject. "Hey, guess what Dean said about Hannah Abbott's new haircut…"

***

The corridor was entirely deserted, except for a lone figure leaning against the wall near one end of it. Hermione hurried towards the figure and greeted Ginny warmly, leaning in for a kiss.

Ginny didn't say a word, but encircled Hermione's slim waist with her arms and pulled the older girl towards her. Hermione buried her hands in Ginny's thick red hair, luxuriating in the feeling of bliss that washed through her. She pressed Ginny up against the wall, her kisses becoming harder and more urgent, until she felt her girlfriend's hands fumbling with her cloak fastenings. Hermione immediately pulled back and stared at Ginny's flushed, dishevelled face.

Ginny lowered her hands at once. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, blushing crimson. "I thought you wanted to…"

Hermione put a finger to the other girl's lips. "I do," she whispered. "But not here, not in a corridor, where anybody could walk in and spoil it. I want this to be the best experience of my life, not some rushed fumble against a wall."

Ginny nodded, her embarrassment forgotten, a grin back in place on her face. "No, of course not, but I know just where we can go." She took Hermione's hand and led her down the corridor for what seemed like hours. Finally, she stopped in front of a large tapestry.

"Um, Ginny? What the hell?" Hermione was silenced by a short scowl from Ginny, who fished her wand out of her robes and poked the tapestry squarely in the middle. It wriggled and moved aside, revealing a door, which Ginny opened and walked through. Hermione found herself standing in a dimly lit, cosy looking room, filled with odds and ends of furniture.

"I found this by accident a few years ago," Ginny told her. "They store all the old and broken furniture in here. And look…" she pointed at a large lumpy object. "One of the old four-posters!"

Hermione walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it doubtfully, feeling the springs creak ominously beneath her. She looked at the expectant expression on Ginny's face, and knew that the younger girl had gone to great trouble, sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night, and was so proud of the place that she had found that Hermione couldn't say anything bad about it.

"It's perfect," she said, smiling warmly. Ginny's face lit up and she almost bounced across the room, landing in the middle of the bed, which let out a sigh and a cloud of dust.

Hermione laughed, only to find the sound smothered by Ginny's lips over her own. She relaxed into the kiss and slid Ginny's robes off her shoulders. Underneath, the other girl was wearing only a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, which Hermione wasted no time in removing. She ran her hands over Ginny's slender shape, feeling the silkiness of the pale skin, and started in surprise at the discovery of a pierced belly button.

"I never thought you're Mum would have let you…"

"Who said she did?" Ginny giggled breathily, "Maybe I just…" she began to kiss Hermione's neck and shoulders softly, "…got it done anyway. I'm not always such a…" she reached her hands back and undid her bra, "…such a good girl, you know."

***

Later…

Hermione lay with her arm stretched across Ginny's bare back, her eyes half closed. "We should get up," she murmured sleepily. "We need to get back to the dorms before anyone realises we're not there."

"In a…" Ginny stifled a yawn. "In a minute, 'Mione"

"No, now!" Hermione sat up suddenly and shook Ginny's shoulder, pulling a T-shirt over her head.. "It's 4am, we have to be back as soon as possible!"

Ginny moaned and buried her head in the pillow.

Hermione glared at her girlfriend and bounced up and down a few times. Ginny raised her head just as the bed gave up its struggle to stay upright. With a resounding crash, Hermione, Ginny and all the bedclothes were deposited on the floor in a heap of splintered wood.

Hermione struggled free of an offending blanket and sat up, breathing deeply to calm her thundering heartbeat. Ginny sat facing her, in the middle of the mess, her eyes wide and staring. Suddenly Hermione found the whole situation terrible funny.

That was how Professor McGonagall found them, a minute or so later. Helpless with laughter, sitting on the edge of the broken bed, Hermione wearing nothing but her t-shirt and a pair of knickers, and Ginny trying to pull her jeans on inside out.

For a moment the room was silent. The professor, seeming to be momentarily speechless, stood in the doorway with her eyes bulging out and her mouth moving soundlessly, like a fish. Hermione felt her heart, previously so light and carefree, plunge to her feet, suddenly leaden.

However, when Professor McGonagall finally recovered her composure, the girls were not greeted by the yelled tirade that they were expecting. Instead she told them, in a rather embarrassed tone, that she would wait outside while they got themselves "in order", and backed out of the room.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she stared at Ginny, horrified. "Do you think they'll expel us or something?"

Ginny considered for a moment, whilst turning her jeans the right way out. "Nah, not for something like this. Something tells me we're in _big_ trouble though."

"And the award for 'Understatement of the Year' goes to…Miss Ginny Weasley!"

"Alright, alright," Ginny grumbled, then let out a nervous giggle. "I never thought I'd see her at loss for words!"

Hermione gave a watery grin and continued to dress hurriedly.

Five minutes later, Hermione opened the door and peered out sheepishly. Professor McGonagall gave her a stern glare, which, somehow, seemed to lack something that her glares usually contained.

"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley," she began. "I'm sure you both know that such behaviour is most certainly not condoned at this school. Under normal circumstances, you would be suspended, but given the approaching exams, and both your previously unblemished records, I'm inclined to be more lenient. However, it cannot go unpunished. You will both have detention, every night for a week for leaving your dormitories after lights out. I will not be taking points off your house, as I do not wish to cause either of you any further embarrassment, due to the, um, nature of your relationship. I hope you both feel that, if you need to talk, I am your head of house, and will be pleased to offer any guidance I can. You may go back to your dormitories now."

Hermione and Ginny nodded, and left, rushing down the stairs at high speed. Just before they entered the portrait hole, Hermione stopped.

"You know we deserved a lot more than detention," She said.

"McGonagall must be going soft in her old age," Ginny replied with a grin. She kissed Hermione gently and whispered, "See you at breakfast," before giving the fat lady the password and scampering off in the direction of the sixth year dorms.

***

"Earth to Hermione, come in Hermione!"

Hermione blinked and stammered, "W-what?"

Parvati sighed in exasperation and turned back to Lavender. Hermione sank back into her stupor, feeling as though she hadn't slept in months. Upon arriving back at her dorm the previous night, her head had hardly seemed to touch the pillow before her alarm clock was blasting in her ear. Ginny, now seated to Hermione's immediate right, seemed in much the same state.

"Well if it isn't the Mudblood, and her little carrot-topped friend. Just who I wanted to see."

"Piss off Malfoy," Ginny muttered.

"Ooh, I'm really insulted," Draco sneered. "You'll have to do better than that. But then again, I'm not really surprised you can't come up with anything better, after all you can't have got much sleep last night, what with all your perverted little goings on."

Hermione's head snapped upright. How was it that Malfoy managed to find out everything you didn't want him to know? It was as though he had spies posted on every corner. "Of course you'd know all about things like that Malfoy," she said. "Now who was it you said you fancied in that diary I found? Could his name perhaps have been Har-" She found herself abruptly cut off by Malfoy's roar of rage and his hand clamped across her mouth.

She did the only thing that seemed sensible, and bit it.

Draco backed off, cursing loudly and colourfully and dripping blood. Hermione spat into a napkin and wiped her lips. Catching Ginny's eye, they both started to laugh, joined by other Gryffindors around them.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a bubble of happiness well up inside her. Impulsively, she leant forward and captured Ginny's mouth with her own. Ginny only hesitated for a second, before returning the kiss joyfully. The Great Hall was silent only for a moment, before cheers broke out from around the room. Only the Slytherin's remained quiet, apart from a couple of boos.

Hermione didn't care. She felt so happy that she wouldn't have cared if the whole room had been booing. She broke away from Ginny and grinned, her own blue eyes never leaving the other girl's glowing brown ones. 

"I love you Ginny," she said.

"I love you too Hermione," Ginny replied.

And in that moment, Hermione knew truly, what happiness meant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Eeek, I'm drowning in fluff! Well, that's the end of that then. I don't have time to list all the people who have been wonderful enough to review this, but please know that I recognise and adore every single one of you. Thank you all for reading, and please check back soon for further fics.

Love Paperdoll :-)


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